All Jamaica Index at new record
The market hit a new high of 453,856.77 on the All Jamaican Composite Index (AJI) after rising by 5,044.21 points with NCB Financial trading at $150 and helped to push the market. The JSE Index climbed 4,583.82 points to a record 412,827.88.
The Junior Market index is up just 7.32 points to sit at 3,008.07. Also rising were Sagicor Group at $47.60 and Supreme Ventures trading at $29.60.
More gains for T&T stocks – Monday
Market activity ended on Monday with trading in 17 securities with 9 advancing, 2 declining and 6 remaining unchanged, against trading 18 on Friday. At close of the market, the Composite Index gained 2.25 points on Monday to 1,348.63. The All T&T Index rose 3.01 points to 1,794.80, while the Cross Listed Index gained 0.20 points to close at 121.74.
Trading ended with 814,537 shares at a value of $8,160,288, compared to 96,392 shares on Friday valued at $1,897,291.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended at 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and one closed with a lower offer.
Stocks ending with gains| At the close of the market, Ansa Mcal traded 1,594 units and rose 1 cent to $55.33, Clico Investments added 1 cent and ended at $22.50, with 40,557 stock units changing hands, First Caribbean International Bank rose 10 cents in trading of 789 units at $8.35. First Citizens rose 1 cent and settled at a 52 weeks’ high of $37.01, after exchanging 150 shares, Grace Kennedy closed with a gain of 5 cents at $3.35, with 144,188 stock units changing hands, National Flour gained 5 cents and completed trading 10,927 units at $1.75. One Caribbean Media rose by 10 cents to close at $10.30, after exchanging 200 shares, Sagicor Financial closed with a gain of 18 cents to $8.80, after exchanging 562,548 shares and Scotiabank added 55 cents to end at $63.55, with 2,685 stock units changing hands.
Stocks closing with losses|Trinidad & Tobago NGL shed 10 cents and completed trading of 31,692 units at $29.40 and West Indian Tobacco lost $3 and ended at $107, with 200 stock units changing hands.
Stocks closing firm| Calypso Macro Index Fund closed trading of 265 shares at $15, JMMB Group closed at $1.70, after exchanging 1,735 shares, Massy Holdings exchanged 9,628 shares to end at $55. National Enterprises ended at $7, with 6,404 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial Group settled at $8.45, after exchanging 700 shares and Unilever Caribbean concluded trading at $26.30, after exchanging 275 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Watch NCB but Cement not finished
Fresh from posting record first quarter profit of $1.13 billion or $1.33 per share, from only $348 million in 2018, the shares of CC started right out of the blocks on Monday gone, with a jump of $13.87 to $77.99 and moved higher thereafter during the week.
Cement now sits at $80 and should move higher in the weeks ahead with potential earnings of $7 per share for 2019. The stock price reached $100 briefly during the past week. NCB Financial Group came in for increased buying with the announcement of approval granted for the group to acquire majority shares in the Trinidad based Guardian Holdings, thus returning it to it Jamaican roots. Guardian was previously majority by Mutual Life but the majority shares were sold to Trinidadians, when Guardian had cash flow problems in the 1990s.
Sagicor Group moved up from $44 at the start of the week to close at $46.50 and should move higher with 2018 results showing gains and pointing to a brighter 2019. Wisynco traded as high as $15 during the past week but some selling came in leaving the stock at $14.40 at the close on Friday. The stock is selling at 15 times projected earnings for the for the fiscal year to June 2019, but with strong earnings growth investors could still pile into the stock in anticipation of greater profits in the 2020 fiscal year. RJR and Seprod remain attractive buys and continue on the watch list along with Barita Investments that posted very strong second quarter results. More company results should be flowing this week and investors should be watchful for their release to identify any important message of future earnings. Other stocks of interest in the main market, include Berger Paints, Grace, Jamaica Producers, Jamaica Stock Exchange and PanJam Investment that seems headed to $100, with very few stocks on offer for sale.
The Junior Market rose last week as it starts the recovery from the impact that the recently closed Wigton IPO had on the market. At its recently held annual general meeting, Honey Bun directors pointed to continued improved revenues, created by expansion of the factory providing added capacity to meet demand for their products, resulting from the expansion and new products lined up to come. Stationery and Office Supplies released their annual report with the directors stating that the outlook for 2019 and beyond is positive, given the increase in business and consumer confidence locally and regionally. “The economy is continuing to show positive signs with increased foreign and local investment in the island, particularly in the business outsourcing sector. For the export market, we are supplying a project in Barbados during the first quarter of 2019, and have another project planned for the second quarter in 2019. We anticipate to realise at least six containers of exported products during the year including both the SEEK products and our lines of Torch and Image furniture. With the purchase of SEEK and six months of learning, planning and making adjustments, we now anticipate maximising profits from every business line in 2019.”
Fontana came in for increased buying this past week with trading as high as $4.20 with supply of the stocks declining, General Accident saw improved results last year and this should continue into 2019 but the company is scheduled to release results for quarter one, next week. tTech grew revenues 30 percent in 2018 and 28 percent in the December quarter. More growth is expected for 2019 to boost profit for the year. Derrimon Trading took over the distribution of of Juiciful, Busta and other products for Trinidad-owned SM Jaleel & Company and acquired Woodcats International, late last year. First quarter results should show above normal increase in revenues as a result of the acquisitions in 2018. It will be interesting to see how the new lines, impact first quarter profit.
NCB pushes AJIndex to record 450K
With less than 5 minutes after opening NCB Financial traded at $150 and helped to push the All Jamaican Composite Index (AJI) of the Jamaica Stock Exchange up by 2,821.75 points to a record 450,573.44.
The JSE Index climbed 2,564.21 points to a record 410,441.63to be well ahead of the record close on Monday.
The Junior Market index is up just 3.57 points to sit at 3,028.79. Also rising were PanJam Investment in trading at $89 and Supreme Ventures trading at $28.45.
Big jump in T&T stocks – Friday
West Indian Tobacco jumped sharply on Friday to end at 52 weeks’ high of $110 on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange and was the main driver in a big gain in the market index at the close.
Trading on to close in 18 securities against 17 on Thursday, with 6 advancing, 3 declining and 9 remaining unchanged.
At close of the market, the Composite Index jumped 8.19 points to 1,346.38. The All T&T Index surged 19.19 points to 1,791.79, while the Cross Listed Index lost 0.42 points to close at 121.54.
Trading ended with 96,767 shares for $1,897,291 compared to 237,591 shares for $2,918,550 on Thursday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended at 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none closed with a lower offer.
Stocks ending with gains| At the close of the market, Clico Investments concluded trading with 54,728 stock units and gained 14 cents to end at $22.49, Massy Holdings added 1 cent and ended at $55, after exchanging 72 shares, One Caribbean Media increased 3 cents and closed at $10.20, after exchanging 105 shares. Republic Financial Holdings concluded trading with a gain of $2.89 to settle at $123, after exchanging 125 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 10 cents and completed trading at $29.50, with 5,978 units and West Indian Tobacco jumped $12.50 ended at 52 weeks’ high of $110, with 250 stock units changing hands.
Stocks closing with losses| Ansa McAl fell 62 cents and completed trading of 200 units, at $55.32, Grace Kennedy closed with a loss of 5 cents and ended at $3.30, with 2,000 stock units changing hands and National Flour shed 5 cents to close at $1.70, with an exchange of 10,000 units.
Stocks closing firm| Calypso Macro Index Fund closed trading of 375 shares at $15, First Citizens settled at $37, after exchanging 692 shares, Guardian Holdings completed trading 12,401 units at $18.50, JMMB Group ended at $1.70, after exchanging 1,120 shares, NCB Financial Group settled at $8.45, after trading 2,725 shares. Sagicor Financial exchanged 2,291 shares at $8.62, Scotiabank ended at $63, with 555 stock units changing hands,Trinidad Cement settled at $2.60, after exchanging 350 shares and Unilever Caribbean closed at $26.30, trading 2,800 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.